by Ian Donnis and Scott MacKay

US Representative David Cicilline and one of the Republicans seeking to challenge him, former state police superintendent Brendan Doherty, are on a roughly equal footing in their current campaign war chests, their respective campaigns say.

Figures for the fourth quarter of 2011 have yet to be finalized, but Cicilline’s campaign spokeswoman, Nicole Kayner, says he’s raised more than $250,000 for the quarter. Cicilline has “well over” $500,000 in his campaign fund, she says.

Doherty, meanwhile, has harvested more than $150,000 in the fourth quarter, and is approaching $500,000 in cash on hand, according to his political director, Rob Coupe.

John Loughlin, the other Republican hoping to challenge Cicilline, recently returned from military service in Iraq and his fundraising has lagged far behind with the candidate out of state.

Loughlin remains on active duty until mid-January, and he’ll no doubt scramble to after that to catch up with Doherty and Cicilline.